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Mass Schedule
SUNDAY MASSES
Saturday:
5:30 P.M. Spanish
7:00 P.M. EnglishSunday:
8:00 A.M.
9:30 A.M.
11:15 A.M.
1:00 P.M. Polish
5:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M.WEEKDAY MASSES
Monday to Friday:
7:30 A.M.
9:00 A.M.Saturday
9:00 A.M.First Friday
7:00 P.M. English
8:00 P.M. PolishFirst Saturday
8:00 P.M. LaotianNOVENA
Wednesday:
7:00 P.M. Perpetual Help Novena MassThursday:
7:00 P.M. Santo Niņo NovenaSacraments
BAPTISMS
2:30 P.M. First Sunday
10:00 A.M. Third Saturday
Parents and sponsors are required to attend classes on the third and fourth Friday at 7:30 P.M. Call office to register.
CONFESSIONS
7:30 - 8:00 A.M. Monday - Friday
9:00 - 9:30 A.M. Monday - Saturday
3:00 - 4:00 P.M. Saturday
During all Sunday Masses
MARRIAGES
Six months notice. Attendance at a seven-session course.
ANNOINTING OF THE SICK
Anytime. Call the Parish Office or personally pick up the priest.
Ministries
PARISH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM (PREP)
The Parish Religious Education Program or PREP (CCD) is a religion class or catechism for school age children.
Classes are held every Tuesday for Grades 1 to 4A and Thursday for Grades 4B to 7, from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. at the OLGC school.
Register at the Parish Office.
RITES OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF TEENAGERS (RCIT)
The Rites of Christian Initiation of Teenagers or RCIT is a "Journey of Faith" adapted for youth. It is a process which provides an opportunity for the youth to ask questions about the Catholic Faith.
We welcome:
- Non-Catholic adults who want to ask questions about the Catholic Church
- Those already baptized from another denomination who may be considering becoming Catholic
- Baptized Catholics who have not yet been confirmed or received First Communion
- Catholic youth who have been confirmed but would like to know more about their Catholic Faith
Classes are held every Thursday, from 6:30 to 8:00 in the evening at Don Bosco Youth Centre. Games and socialization follow every session.
Register at the Parish Office.
RITES OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA)
The Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA is sometimes referred to as a "Journey of Faith". It is a process which provides an opportunity for the youth and adults to ask questions about the Catholic Faith.
We welcome:
- Non-Catholic adults who want to ask questions about the Catholic Church
- Those already baptized from another denomination who may be considering becoming Catholic
- Baptized Catholics who have not yet been confirmed
- Non-Catholic adults who want a better understanding of the faith of their Catholic spouse and children
BAPTISM CLASS
Baptism Class is a two-session program to prepare parents and godparents for the baptism of their children. They are required to attend classes on the third and fourth Friday at 7:30 P.M.
FAITH AND LIGHT
Faith and Light is a parish program to evangelize specially-gifted children and adults. A Mass is celebrated for them every second Sunday at 2:00 P.M. at the Mary Help of Christians Hall.
YOUTH AND CHILDREN
The focus of the work of the Salesioan is the evangelization of young people and their families. OLGC Parish provides formative groups where the young can express themselves and be formed as honest citizens of Canada and of heaven.
- God's Little People is Liturgy of the Word for children. During Sunday Mass, the children are led to the adjacent Mary Help of Christians Hall for the Sunday Gospel adapted to them.
- Kids for Christ is a renewal ministry for children of the Couples for Christ from ages 4 to 12 years old.
- Parish Youth Council organizes the activities for young people of the parish especially the Saturday Mass liturgy.
- Praise Team is a dance and theatre arts ministry composed of young dedicated Christians whose mission is to evangelize the young people through the performing arts. The motto is "Christ will be exalted in my body."
- Altar Servers are for boys and girls who wish to serve at the alter during Masses and liturgical celebrations. Click on link for the OLGC Knights of the Altar Official Homepage
- Squirettes
- Youth Choir sings during Saturday evening liturgy and assists the PREP children in their liturgy.
- Youth for Christ is a renewal ministry for children of Couples for Christ from ages 13 to 20 years old. It is a movement intended to reach out to the young people that the normal church channels were missing to communicate the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
- Singles for Christ is a renewal ministry for children of Couples for Christ from ages 21 to 35 years old to provide them with a channel through which they could respond to God's call and acknowledge that only He can lessen that burden and make them live peaceful and fulfilling lives.
- Polish Language School is a parish program where Catholic faith is taught to children of Polish descent every Saturday morning. Polish language and culture are also taught.
PARISH FAMILY MINISTRY
Challenged by the un-Christian view of marriage by a number of Canadian politicians, by the rise of materialism of Canadian society and by the ever growing number of families with misguided priorities in life, the OLGC Parish commits itself to defend the traditional Catholic view of family and marriage and establishes the Parish Family Ministry. It aims:
- to promote Catholic values in Catholic families of the Parish
- to educate parishioners in Catholic teachings on marriage and family
- to be at the vanguard in defending Catholic marriage and family
- to represent the Parish with regards to family and marriage
- to network with other organizations that defend traditional marriage and family
The following Parish organizations involved in this ministry are as follows:
- Salesian Cooperators is a movement founded by St. John Bosco composed of persons who commit to sanctify themselves and their family the Salesian way. They help out in the evangelization of the young wherever they are.
- The Couples for Christ is a movement for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. The members have committed themselves to the Lord and to one another so that they may grow in maturity as men and women of God and fulfill their primary vocation of raising up families under the lordship of Jesus Christ and for the service of the Kingdom of God.
- Retrouville
- The Catholic Women's League is an organization intended to educate and encourage Catholic women to play a role in the work of the Church at parish, diocesan, national and international levels.
- Pro-Life
- The Legion of Mary is a lay Catholic association whose members are giving service to the church, on a voluntary basis, all over the world.
- The Knights of Columbus is a lay Catholic family fraternal service organization. Membership is open to all practical Catholic men in communion with the Holy See, age eighteen and above.
- Family Planning Team is composed of parish volunteers who are committed Catholics in the medical field and trained to guide married couples in the natural family planning.
PARISH MINISTRIES
Ministry for Worship and SpiritualityMinistry to Ethnic Communities
- Worship
- Spirituality
Ministry of Service
- Chaldean Community
- Filipino Community
- Laotian Community
- Polish Community
Ministry of Unity and Fellowship
- Seniors
- Sick and Elderly
- Poor and Indigent
- New Immigrants
- Hospitality Committee
- Program Coordinator
- Parish Research Office
- Appreciation Committee
- Vocation Committee
Choir Groups
Saturday 7:00 P.M. Beth Reyes
Sunday 8:00 A.M. Sanz Gonzales
9:30 A.M. Galileo Caņete
11:15 A.M. Carla Comin
5:00 P.M. Tito Bernardino
7:00 P.M. Vic Sta. Ana
Parish Directory
Pastor Fr. Mario Villaraza, SDB Associates Fr. John Basso, SDB
Fr. Jan Staszel, SDB
Fr. David Sadjak, SDB
Bro. Gerard Harasym, SDBParish Secretaries Diane Craig
Evelyn ReyesPrincipal Gerard Wright PREP Principals Danuta Szmigielska (Tuesday)
Carla Comin (Thursday)School Secretaries Maribel Cowan
Margaret JonesRCIA Monica and Keith Andrew Baptism Team Margaret Jones PEC Chair Nannette Guze Finance Committee Anthony Lee Parish Youth Coordinator Elizabeth Reyes Parish Research Office Caesar Fortaleza Hospitality Committee Sharon Lefleche Parish Family Ministry Joseph Amabili Parish Bulletin Editor Lori Brenner Parish Webmaster Cherry Axibal Parish History
In Brief
From a humble beginning on Christmas Eve 1948 with 37 people in attendance, Our Lady of Good Counsel has grown to be one of the largest parishes in the Vancouver Archdiocese. This flourishing parish of now more than 10,000 souls, has a multitude of activities over and above the regular church services, elementary school, and religious education programs in English, Polish, and Spanish.
Canada glories in multiculturalism and Surrey reflects it. The parish has liturgies for the Polish community each Sunday and often during the week. There is monthly mass for the Laotian community, while the Spanish speaking have a liturgy every week. Perpetual Adoration takes place 24 hours a day in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Parishioners work with the local Salvation Army to feed the needy of the area, while the St. Vincent de Paul Society makes regular home visits and feeds many families.
As the emphasis of the Archdiocese focused on Youth Ministry, the Don Bosco Youth Centre was expected to become a model. It is, in fact, a unique operation of its kind in all of British Columbia - a Catholic Parish youth centre serving youth of all creeds and backgrounds.
The Church
The Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish reflects the traditional lines of the ancient Christian basilicas. It features a semi circular apse and a canopy under which is the Risen Christ. The church has a seating capacity of 800 in the main nave and aisles; an additional 200 can be accommodated above the vestibule. The exterior and the interior of the church are of steel and waterproof dark brown brick. The interior features an adaptation of a 14th Century gothic fanvault. The effect sometimes at sunrise or sunset, when the rays from the sun pierce the stained glass windows and flood the vaulted ceiling with the symbolic colors of redemption, is both inspiring and edifying.
The original parishioners were first served from St. Peter's in New Westminster (the original cathedral of the Diocese of New Westminster - later to become Vancouver). Then Immaculate Conception Parish in Delta (Fr. Hanrahan, pastor) took over the parish mission church which was completed and dedicated on April 26th, 1949. Actually, the first mass was celebrated on Christmas Eve in 1948 where a total of 37 Catholics were present. It was a mission church until February 1953 when the parish was canonically established. Fr. Edmund O'Dwyer, first pastor, retired due to illness after two years. He made plans but it was Fr. Fouquette who built the new church. It was blessed by Bishop Martin Johnson on the 29th of May, 1960. Architect Wilfrid User; contractor John Mackwood.
Priests who have served the Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish
Pastors Fr. Edmund O'Dwyer
Fr. Joseph Fouquet
Fr. Richard Peedle (Administrator)
Msgr. Clinton
Fr. Wilmer Beath
Fr. Gordon McKinnon
Fr. David Zunino, S.D.B.
Fr. Albert Adreatta, S.D.B.
Fr. Armand Oliveri, S.D.B. (Administrator)
Fr. John Malloy, S.D.B.
Fr. Harry Rasmussen, S.D.B. (Administrator)
Fr. Robert Stein, S.D.B.
Fr. Harold Danielson, S.D.B. (Temporary Administrator)
Fr. Richard Cressman, S.D.B. (Temporary Administrator)
Fr. James Jeffcoat, S.D.B. (Temporary Administrator)
Fr. Mario Villaraza, S.D.B.
1953-1955
1955-1964
1964-1965
1965-1971
1971-1973
1973-1974
1974-1980
1980-1988
1988-1989
1989-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003
2003
2003-2004
2004-present
Diocesan and Religious Associate Pastors Fr. Donald Murphy
Fr. Patrick Heffemen
Fr. William Lasko, S.J.
Fr. Desire Potanko
Fr. Duncan Goguillot
Fr. Richard Peddle
Fr. R. A. Jonkas
Fr. J. O'Grady
Fr. Joseph Swoboda
Fr. Tadeus Pieniazek, S.D.S.
1955-1958
1958-1959
1959-1960
1959-1960
1963
1960-1964
1965-1971
1971-1973
1972-1973
1995-1997
Salesian Associate Pastors and Religious Fr. Joseph Mediati, S.D.B.
Fr. Paul Maniscalco, S.D.B. (away one year)
Fr. Angelo de Pompa, S.D.B.
Fr. Alfonso Demmi, S.D.B.
Fr. Anthony DiFalco, S.D.B.
Fr. Robert Stein, S.D.B.
Fr. Mirko Flac, S.D.B.
Fr. Zbigniew Baran, S.D.B.
Fr. George, S.D.B.
Fr. Mario Rosso, S.D.B.
Bro. Jerry Harasym, S.D.B.
Fr. Cecil Noronha, S.D.B.
Fr. Wladyslaw Sikora, S.D.B.
Fr. John Basso, S.D.B.
Fr. Tadeusz Goryczka, S.D.B.
Fr. Michael Korceba, S.D.B.
Fr. Jan Staszel, S.D.B.
1974-1975
1975-1998
1977-1978
1981-1982
1984-1988
1989-1998
1993-1996
1997
1999-2001
1998-2004
2002-Present
2002
2001-2005
2005-Present
2005-2006
2006
2006-Present